Fall Of Jericho
by K1L04C7U4L
Summary: The Covenant have found one of humanity's outer colonies, a planet by the name of Jericho. The story follows a couple of marines in their efforts to fight a losing battle against the Covenant on the ground and in space. Rated T for language and violence and stuff.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

_Command center of orbital platform, Warsaw_

"Slip space drive detected. Counting multiple jump signatures. Sir, its them. Its the Covenant." yelled one of the officers.

"Triple check that signal. We have to be sure. Lieutenant, contact the UNSC and ONI." said the admiral walking over to the scanner screen

"Sir, signatures confirmed. Reading 3 cruiser and 5 corvettes and a carrier. Long range scanners are picking them up now."

"How long till they're with the range of the orbital platforms?" he asked assessing the situation on hand.

"Ten minutes, sir." said the officer

From across the room, a lieutenant yell, "Sir, ONI wants an immediate sit-rep on the Covenant fleet. The UNSC says that Battle Group A will be assembled by the time the Covenant fleet gets in range of the orbital platforms. Battle Group B is still planet side and in Dry Docks and Battle Group C is away on the orders from ONI"

The admiral runs his hand through his hair and sighs,"Lieutenant, send a report to ONI. Hercules, what's the ETA on the Covenant fleet?"

A hologram of the Greek mythological hero appears on the pedestal next to the admiral. "ETA, 4, hours and 13 minutes until they're with in range of the orbital platforms. Orders, admiral?"

"Initiate Cole Protocol, Hercules." the admiral said. "Once the Covenant gets into range of the platforms, light those the bastards up. Do the other platforms know of the Covenant fleet?"

"Yessir, they were notified by their on-board AIs. Hold up...heads up, we have several more slip space jump signatures. Counting about 5, wait no, 10 new jump signatures."

"Copy that. Hercules, make sure this is intel is sent to both the UNSC and ONI. Lieutenant, have you figured out who those jumps signatures belong to?"

"Yessir, they're all Covenant."

One of the operators on thee other side of the room stands up and yells,"Sir, scans show that the Covenant has deployed long ranged fighters and boarding crafts. ETA 3 hours."

"Alert the marines that we're in threat of the being boarded. Hercules, make sure the other platforms are aware of the new contacts." ordered the admiral before pushing the intercom button, "We all knew this was coming one day, people. As much as we wished for it not to happen, the Covenant are on our doorsteps. Let's show them that they're not welcome and kick their E.T. asses back to whatever hole they crawled out from."

As the admiral released the intercom button, he mutters to himself,"May God help us all."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

_Several hours later, onboard the orbital platform Warsaw_

The entire platform rumbles as another boarding party blow open another airlock and pours into the ship. The sound of weapons, both plasma and slug throwers, and yelling, both commands and the cries of the wounded and dying, filled the platform. An alarm sounds and the intercom cracks to life and one of the operators from the command center can be heard. "Covenant boarding party has breached airlock F7. Any available fire teams near that airlock, move to repel boarders."

"This is fire team Echo, copy that command. We're Oscar-mike." Marine Sergeant Alex Alaster responded. "Alright, marines, time to earn your keep. Williams, you have point."

The fire team makes their way to airlock. As they get closer to the airlock, the sound of a firefight came from the same direction.

"Double time it, boys. Looks like someone started the party without us." said Sgt. Alaster and his team quicken their pace toward the firefight only to arrive too late as the firefight between a technician crew and Covenant boarding party was over and in the Covenant's favor. The technicians laid dead with plasma burns on them and some even missing body parts from being to close to the plasma grenade explosion. The marines take cover behind some crates just as a Grunt looks over to the hallway the Marines are in.

"I count 6 tangos, 3 Grunts, 2 Jackals, and an Elite. Orders, sir?" said Corporal Williams.

"On 3, we frag 'em and mop up what's left." ordered the Sgt. Alaster

"Hold up, sir. Something not right here." said Pvt. Miller

"What's wrong, Miller?" asked the Sergeant

"That boarding ship is too large to only contain such a small boarding party. I'm going off a hunch here but I have a feeling that there are more covie inside that craft." explained Pvt. Miller

Right as the young marine finished explaining, another Covenant boarding party emerges from the craft. They stared at the much larger group with a blank expressions.

"Frags?"

"Frags." they all said in unison.

They each prime they're grenades and toss to them at the Covenant boarding party. The grenades detonate within seconds of each other, causing a chain reaction and detonating the Covenant plasma grenades. As the smoked cleared, the boarding party was reduced to nothing but mangled up bodies and chucks and limbs.

"Does anyone have anymore grenades?"

"Yeah. Why you ask?" said ask Cpl. Williams handing Pvt. Miller the grenade.

"Have to sure this airlock is secure. Cover me." said the young marine as he moved from behind the crates toward the docked boarding ship.

"Dammit, Miller, get back over here. Corporal, go with him and keep him alive." growled Sgt. Alaster.

The corporal silently made his way to the private who was leaning against a wall waiting for the corporal.

"Sarge sent me to keep an eye on you. He's not to happy with you running off like that." explained the corporal.

"Figured. Anyways, I was right. There's another squad in there prepping to move after we leave." said the private.

"What are we up against?"

"3 Grunt ultras, 2 Spec op Elites, and an Elite Zealot." sighed Pvt. Miller.

"I don't think that frag is going to cut it." said Cpl. Williams.

"No shit." face palmed Pvt. Miller

"Do the airlock doors still work?"

"Does that answer you question?" said Pvt. Miller pointing to the doors about 10 feet away from the airlock opening.

"...what about the emergency doors?"

"Yeah, they're still functional, but I don't se-..." stopped Miller and thought about it before starting again, "The panel is right behind you. "

"Give me 30 seconds. Grab what's left of the explosives and on my count toss them inside." said the older marine opening the panel behind him as the younger one quickly scavenged any explosives that survived the blast, which wasn't many.

"You ready?" asked Cpl. Williams.

"Yeah. These won't be enough to kill the Elite but I'll be enough to kill the Grunts and drop the Elites shields." said the Private.

"Figured. Alright, on my command. 3, 2, 1, NOW!" he said pressing two wires together just the Miller tossed a belt with explosives he scavenged into the boarding craft. Right before the explosives could go off, the emergency doors shot closed, sealing the only exit of the craft. As the explosives went off, they damaged the docking mechanism and breached the hull, causing the craft to drift off the station airlock and the wounded occupants to suffocate in space.

"Well that was fun. Call it in." mused the Corporal, high-fiving the Private.

"Great job." said the private before pressing his comms device on his ear, "This Echo 4 to Echo Actual, airlock secure, I repeat, airlock is secure."

His comm buzz back as his team leader responded, "Glad to hear you guys handled it. Hang tight, we'll link up with you and await further orders."

"Copy that, Echo 4 out." he responded before releasing the comms button on the side of his helmet.

"So what's next?" said Cpl. Williams smiling.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Aboard the UNSC Midnight Stars, ODST drop pod bay_

Fifteen ODSTs are gather around a holographic table. The holographic display shows the clash between the two powers. Although the UNSC Navy outnumbered the Covenant fleet 3-1, Covenant technology was much more advanced and the Navy has taken heavy loses. Battle Group A had lost 13 out of its 35 ships. Battle Group B, although just joining the fight a couple of hours ago, has already lost to 8 ships.

"Shit, the Navy is getting their asses kicked and what are we doing? Sitting back behind the orbital platforms and watch the entire damn thing unfold." said one of the ODSTs slamming on the table causing the holographic image to shimmer before resettling again.

"Settle down, Marine. We're here, like 9 other ships, in case one of those Covenant ships breaks through our lines and get pass the MACs on the platform." said an officer walking in with a type of armor that was unfamiliar to them.

"Sir!" All the ODSTs in unison, snapping into a salute.

"At ease, Marines. I know you're all anxious to get into the fight, but believe me when I say don't be. We've lost a lot of good men who were too anxious to get into the action. Keep your heads cools and don't try to be a hero, that'll only get you killed." lecture the officer.

He looked around the room at the confused looks of the ODSTs wondering who the man that lecturing them was. "As of right now I am your new CO. I'm Lt. Stark. I want an equipment and pod check now. Squad leads, with me for briefing."

"Yessir." The ODSTs walk away and head toward their pods with the exception of 5 of them. They remaining 6 people gathered around the table as Lt. Stark changes the image from the current on going space battle to the research installation and a large alien ruin.

"Gentlemen, this is our objective." began Lt. Stark.

"Sir, what are we looking at?" asked one of the squad leaders.

"What's your name, Staff Sergeant?" asked the Lieutenant.

"Dominic Rodriquez, sir." said the Staff Sergeant.

"Well, Rodriquez, what your looking at is what ONI believes the reason the Covenant are here." said Lt. Stark. "That facility is a ancient Forerunner site. Scientist on the ground have been studying these ruins for years. They believe the facility was used as a scientific research outpost. Oddly enough, the place is easily defensible and even has manually operated defense turrets. According to test, plasma weaponry has a harder time breaking through it. So far, only large plasma detonations or large amounts of plasma discharge can penetrate it." On the table two separate hologram appeared, showing the testing of the walls of the forerunner facility.

"So I'm assuming our objective has to do with that building." said one of the other Sergeants.

"Indeed it does. Our objective is to secure the facility and repel the Covenant until the science types are extracted. After that, we move to be extracted at evac point bravo. Once we're given the order we're deploying. So whatever you need to do before the mission, do it now. Dismissed." said the ONI agent before shutting down the table and walking off."

As soon as the Lieutenant was out of the room, one of the ODST squad leaders spoke up, "I hate working with Spooks. There's always something they're not telling us."

Just as someone was about to respond, the entire ship shook and caused a few of the unsuspecting to Marines to fall.

"What hell was that?! Were we just hit?!" yelled one of the team leaders. Another ODST, who keep his balance, started running over to the holographic table to see if any Covenant ships had gotten passed the MAC cannons and started firing upon them.

As the holographic display settle, the image was far worse than what they imagined. It left the ODST standing there speechless.

"Ryder, what the fuck just happened? Are we being fired upon because if we are we need to deploy now." yelled his squad leader as more ODSTs entered the room from whatever part of the ship they had just come from. "RYDER, ANSWER ME!"

"N-no. We're not hit. The Farscape, i-its gone. The entire orbital platform just exploded!"

**Author's Note**

**I think that's a good place to stop for now. Sorry if updates to this story are a little random. With school around the corner and everything else, I'm not sure when I'll have to work on this. If you've read up to this point thanks for giving my story a try especially since its my first one. The Halo ****Series belongs to 343 Industries with the exception of basically all of the characters in this story. Any names that similar to either someone in real life or in the Halo franchise is purely by coincidence. Feel free to review or comment and give me some feedback. Anything and everything is appreciated, even the hate.**

**Thanks again for giving my story a read and have a great day.**


	3. Chapter 3

_Onboard the Warsaw_

"No no no, this is isn't happening. Someone tell me that didn't just happen!" yelled a Sgt. Alaster over as he stared at the wreckage of the Farscape slowly drifting further apart.

"B-but how? The Covenant ships are still too far to fire upon the platform." asked Pvt. Miller in disbelief of what just happened.

Suddenly the intercom buzzes to life and snaps everyone back into reality. Through the intercom, one of the operators is heard yelling into the comm system. In the background rifle fire can be heard along with the sound plasma rounds hitting the reinforced door leading into the room. "THIS IS THE COMMAND CENTER, WE ARE UNDER ATTACK. THE COVENANT ARE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE BLOODY DOOR AND THEY HAVE A MASSIVE BOMB! WE NEED BACK-UP! ANY AVAILABLE SQUADS, PLEASE RESPOND, I REPEAT, THE COMMAND CENTER IS UNDER ATTACK. ANY AVAILABLE COMBAT UNITS, PLEASE RESPOND!"

"Copy, Command. This is fire team Echo, moving to assist in defense." said Sgt. Alaster, responding to the plead for help. "The Command center is on the other side of the platform, we got haul ass, Marines."

The small team of marines ran to the toward the command center. Along the way picked off any Covenant squads that opposed them. As the marines were 3/4 of the journey there, they were stopped by 3 teams of marines who had also responded to the call for help.

"What's the hold, marines?" asked Sgt. Alaster staring at the marines who were hold up in a room overlooking a larger room.

"We have big problem, two big problems to be exact." said one of the marines pointing at the window. In the room below was a pair of Hunters. They hadn't notice the marines in the room above and were acting as sentry to stop anyone from getting to the command center.

"Dammit. How the hell did they get in here?" cursed Cpl. Williams under his breath.

"A Phantom was able to make it inside one of the Pelican Bays and dropped off these guys and their friends are the ones currently attacking the command center." said one the Marines who had heard Cpl. Williams.

As the marine finished explaining how the Hunters got in, another fire team walked in.

"We got two Hunters in the room below and that's the only way to Command." explained Pvt. Miller to the team that had just arrived.

"3rd battalion demolition squad, how can we be off service?" he replied quickly grasping the situation.

"Shit, you guys are gift from the heavens right about now" Pvt. Miller asked before tapping Cpl. Williams on the shoulder, "Tell the Sarge we got a Demo squad here."

The Corporal nodded before heading over to the Sergeant and telling him about the squad that had just arrived.

"Well don't just stand out in there. Come on in and make your selves at home." said Pvt. Miller ushering the squad into the large room,"We have MREs and water in the corner over. Sergeant, I suggest you meet up with the other Sergeants on the other side of the room. We need a good plan if we're going to take on those hunters"

After a few minutes each Sergeant went back to their respective fire team or squad and explained their roles in the plan to them.

"So all we have to do is protect the demos until they kill the hunters? Sounds simple enough. What about the others" asked Cpl. Williams going over the plan in his head.

"The other teams are going in first to distract the Hunters, maybe even take one out with amount of frags they have. We just need to get the man with the launcher into position and the rest is should be easy." explained Sgt. Alaster. As he finished explaining, the other 12 marines started filing out of the room and down the stairs to the room below

"We better hope they can take out one of the Hunters." said Pvt. Miller watching the last of the marines exit the room.

"What makes you say that, Miller?" asked Sgt. Alaster.

"Because they only have one rockets." said the usually silent member of fire team Echo, Lance Corporal Parker.

"So you do speak. Aside from that, Parker is right. The Demo team only has one rocket and we miss then we're all in for a world of hurt." explained Miller.

"Then we better not miss. Alright, get ready to move. William, tell them to get prepped for combat." ordered the Sergeant motioning toward the demolition squad on the other side of the room.

"Why is it always me?" he mumbled under his breath as he quickly moved to the squad and told them that they were getting ready to move.

In 60 seconds, both the fire team and the squad were all facing the door as it hissed opened. The only other sounds came from the marines saying prayers or cursing under their breath and the sounds of plasma and firearm weaponry going off as the Covenant strike team still tries to gain entry to the command center only to be stop by a small band of defenders at the door.

As they began their decent down the stairs the sound of multiple grenades going off and a hunter groaning from the pain of the explosion followed by the sound of ARs, BRs, and SMGs opening fire on the Hunters before the smoke had even cleared. After a shooting had stopped, the fire team Echo and the demolition squad had arrived on the but stayed out of sight. As they slowly made their way to their position, a faint green glow could be seen in the smoke before a large stream of plasma shot out and hit a marine dead center in the chest, melting and vaporizing him. The outline of a single Hunter was present before it rushed out of the smoke and charged at the marines in a fit of fury upon the death of its bond brother. Startled by the now extremely pissed off Hunter, some of the marines began to running in hopes of getting away from the monster that stood before them. Others on the other hand, that were too scared to move or were able to keep their cool, attempted to kill the Hunter by shooting it, but their rounds harmlessly bounce of its armor and shield and only succeed in angering it more. Swinging its shield, the monster smacked two marines causing them to be sent flying into wall behind them. One of the Sergeants took advantage of having the Hunter's back toward him and fired a half of his Assault Rifle clip into its exposed backed before the Hunter swung its shield over its head and brought it down on the Sergeants head with enough momentum and force that it split the Marine Sergeant in half. After that, Marines who weren't moving started moving in hopes of that their superior mobility would keep them out of striking range of the Hunter's shield, but close enough that it couldn't use its cannon.

Finally getting into position, the Sergeant of the Demolition squad moved out his cover and took aim at the raging goliath with the rocket launcher and all the marines got clear of the Hunter. Taking this as an opportunity to fire its cannon, the Hunter began charging its cannon unaware of the man behind it with rocket launcher. With the shot lined up perfectly, the marine was about to pull the when an energy blade stabbed through his chest and caused him to tighten his grip on the trigger and firing the rocket right pass the Hunter and into a wall. The blast and the debris had successfully knocked out three marines. Luckily, the back blast from the rocket was enough to burn out the Elite's active camouflage unit and disrupted its shields. The fire team quickly dispatched of the elite as it tried to retrieve its energy sword from the corpse of the Demolition Sergeant. Unfortunately, the Hunter took noticed of the gunshots and the rocket and focused its attention on the single fire team and the leaderless demolition squad. As the Hunter began charging up its cannon, the 11 marines all said the same thing as the glowing green light of its cannon grew brighter, "Shit."

**A/N**

**I do not own any part of the Halo franchise and any names that are similar to those of someone in real life or in the Halo Universe are by pure coincidence. **

**For those of you who are wondering about the difference between a fire team and a squad, squad are larger than fire teams. Fire teams are generally from 3 to 5 people while a squad can made from 6- 8 members**

**Thank you so much reading my story and putting up with the random updating pattern. If you want to just leave a review or comment on the progress of the story, please go ahead. Thanks again for reading and have a great day. **


End file.
